Nemean Lion

The English word lion is derived via Anglo-Norman liun from Latin leōnem (nominative: leō), which in turn was a borrowing from Ancient Greek λέων léōn. The Hebrew word לָבִיא lavi may also be related.

• Singular: Nemean Lion, Greek Lion

• Plural: Nemean Lions, Greek Lions

The Nemean lion had a strong, deep-chested body with golden peach-colored skin, a short, rounded head, wide ears, a hairy tuft at the end of its tail that was wavy and golden brown, and brown eyes. The Nemean lion is a sexually dimorphic species, similar to other subspecies of lions from Africa and Asia. The female lion lacks manes, which are more common in Afro-Asiatic lions than Sub-Saharan African lions, while the male lion has manes and less vivid golden peach fur.

The Nemean Lion is "descended" from Typhon and Echidna, monsters born of chaos and Earth, according to several Greek authors. But it turned out to have evolved spontaneously, and Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, and Thanatos constructed it as a challenge to their own kind—the "Gods"—prior to the emergence of humans and elves. 

Unlike their three subspecies of lions, the Nemean lion's strong skin prevented bronze, iron, wood, and stone weapons from piercing it, giving it an invulnerable hide. A lion's skin can only be penetrated by tools and weapons made of precious metals or gemstones. Using its own claws, the Nemean lion could injure it or perhaps rip off its ceramic armor. In contrast to the Afro-Asian, Sub-Saharan, and Marozi subspecies, the Nemean lion is powerful enough to smash metals, barriers, bones, trees, and shields. With their strong fangs, the Nemean lion could easily drag a aurochs, hippo, horse, tiger, crocodile, dragon, elephant, goat, "deity", or human beings.

The roar of the Nemean Lion has the power to shake houses, scatter window glasses and other glass-related objects, and even stun and paralyze foes, warriors, and prey equally. However, it is only audible in hills. The Nemean Lion, which resides in caves close to Nemea, moves stealthily and ambushes tourists. Despite living in pride groups like lions, it possesses a combination of divine stealth and predator cunning.

The modern lion has inhabited parts of southern Europe since the early Holocene, before Ancient Greece. According to the legend before Cain and Seth, the lion was evolved into its own species by the moon goddess Selene and her sister Chang'e, who threw this animal from Mount Olympus at Hera's request in what is now Nemea in Peloponnese. In Greece, it was common, as reported by Herodotus in 480 BC; it was considered rare by 300 BC and extirpated by AD 100, except for the Nemean one.

Nemean lions are the most social of all wild felid species, living in groups of related individuals with their offspring, and some males live alone. Such a group is called a "pride". Groups of Nemean lions are called "hoplites". Females form a stable social unit with pride and do not tolerate outside children. 

The Nemean Lion lived in the hills and woodlands of Nemea, frequently coming out to hunt animals and inhabitants. Additionally, this subspecies was common in Greece and North Macedonia and resided outside of Nemea. It was stated that the Cave of Nemea had two openings, one for attack and one for escape, making trapping practically impossible. The prey of Nemean lions consists mainly of mammals, particularly ungulates and pinnipeds and humans. It symbolized disorder in nature, a heavenly plague sent to test or punish humanity. The last individual was eventually killed by Heracles or Hercules. Another myth says that the lion was killed by the god Apollo, Selene's brother.

The Nemean lion, a symbol of loneliness and wild nature, lived either alone in its cave or with family or friends. This subspecies of lion attacks anything they come across and never backs down, whether they are alone or acting arrogantly. The Nemean lion was an unstoppable predator that terrorized the people of Nemea until Heracles intervened on behalf of one of them or a lone lion. It was a cunning hunter that used terrain and shadow for ambush, suggesting both intelligence and brute strength, even along with their pride.

The Nemean lion is an endemic species in Greece, but rarely in Macedonia as well. So while the Nemean Lion itself is mythical, it may have been based on encounters with real lions that terrified early Greek settlers and hunters.

All subspecies of the lion (except for Marozi and Nemean Lion) will share their locations and habitats. 

• Movement Pattern: Random

• Individual Type: Group

• Population Trend: Stable

• Population: ???

• Locomotion: Terrestrial

• Habitat: Temperate Broadleaf and Mixed Forests; Temperate Deciduous Forests, Temperate Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands; Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests; Subtropical Dry Broadleaf Forests; Subtropical Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands; Tropical Moist Broadleaf Forests; Tropical Dry Broadleaf Forests; Tropical Grasslands; Tropical Savannas and Shrublands; Mediterranean Forests, Woodlands, and Scrub; Deserts and Xeric Shrublands; Badlands; Flooded Grasslands and Savannas; Swamp; Bayous/Billabongs; Riparian; Wetland; Mangrove Forest; Graveyard Vale.

• Earth: 

  • Possibly Extant (Resident): Greece; North Macedonia

Alpha Nemean Lion cannot be tamed when it is in the adult stage. Despite Heracles could only wear its skin — not keep it as a companion, only in cub one were notable exceptions. Any raw fish or milk can be used to tame the abandoned kitten.

Greek Mythology - 470 BCE

In Greek mythology, Nemea was ruled by King Lycurgus and Queen Eurydice. Nemea was famous in Greek myth as the home of the Nemean Lion, which was killed by the hero Heracles, and as the place where the infant Opheltes, lying on a bed of parsley, was killed by a serpent while his nurse Hypsipyle fetched water for the Seven against Thebes on their way from Argos to Thebes. The picture of the Nemean lion was used as a heroic emblem on coins, shields, and temple carvings because it represented divine might, bravery, and resistance to chaos.

Renaissance - 1350–1500 AD

Greek mythology was frequently appropriated for Western values by Renaissance artists, who used the lion as a symbol of strong masculinity. The Nemean Lion, a symbol of the long-standing connection between people, the natural world, and mythological conflict, is still a part of Greek national heritage.

Earth

• Borean: Qiryiat Gôlkatom

  • Greek: Νεμέος λέων (Neméos léōn)

  • Latin: Leo Nemeaeus

• Coming soon

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nemean_lion

• https://www.deviantart.com/ognimdo2002/art/Nemean-lion-876561884